In Uganda, as in many other countries, data is largely held in silos, controlled by some and inaccessible to others. But Uganda is keen to tackle the problem because it limits its ability to spur innovation in key sectors such as tourism. To support the Ugandan government in designing a National Data Strategy, UN Global Pulse has used futures and foresight approaches to explore opportunities and build a common, preferred model for data sharing.
Our impact
We designed and facilitated a foresight retreat to consider the future of data sharing and reuse in Uganda. Our Future of Data Sharing project brought together more than 60 players from the Ugandan data ecosystem, including government and UN agencies, the private sector, academia and civil society.
Participants analysed current challenges and opportunities in the data ecosystem, created a vision on data sharing in migration, tourism and urban development and identified how their organizations could support these efforts. Participants established a working group to continue the dialogue.
Our lessons
- Scenario building offered a safe space for dialogue and visionary alternatives.
- Futures and foresight tools helped unlock stakeholders’ views and uncovered underlying issues in the data sharing ecosystem.
- Creating a shared vision helped build trust among stakeholders and aligned them on the next steps.